Years and years ago, one of the many X-Files episodes to nearly break me was “Kaddish,” which focused on a Golem, and Sleepy Hollow‘s turn at a Golem episode was a close second. In the last episode before the winter hiatus, we learned terrible, horrible things about the fate Katrina inadvertently condemned their son to, and the lengths to which the boy went to protect himself, a path that now threatens folks 200 years on.
We find out in short order, thanks to an assist from Parrish, that the Crane boy was placed with a family but gained a a reputation when he became a firestarter as his warlock skills presented themselves. Shunted off to a cruel orphanage where he was abused, he turned Katrina’s protection totem, a small doll, into a super-sized bodyguard who enacted revenge on his behalf. If that weren’t awful enough, he was later left to die under floorboards after he wouldn’t consent to join the Coven Katrina had fled–a Coven that the team realizes is still active when a local librarian recognizes Crane and is murdered by the Golem shortly thereafter when she tries to flee. That then leads them to a creepy carnival sideshow of witch sisters who speak in one voice.
All of this comes crashing down on Crane when he comes face to face with the Golem. After he’s forced to kill it, he sits with it as it dies and says all the things he would never be able say to his son. It’s heartbreaking as he apologizes to his son in one breath and in another thanks the Golem for being his son’s protector. Tom Mison does a beautiful job with the scene.
Separately, Washington spends a day with his daughter (after taking to heart the threat from his ex-wife) and finds himself plagued by demons who threaten him, his family, and Crane and Abbie. He reacts by having a supreme meltdown in the park. It’s a scene straight out of Fallen as the demon jumps from host to host.
Tonight we return from the winter hiatus and go into the last three episodes of the season–and it’s actually only this week and next week, because next Monday, the last two episodes air back to back. And then we’re done until next fall (nooooo!).
Here are sneak peeks of tonight’s new episode, “Vessel,” which airs at 9 pm E/8 C on FOX and Global TV.
Photo courtesy of FOX.